IMG Media has agreed to a deal with Vans to distribute the rights to its events including skateboard and surfing competitions and lifestyle media content developed for Vans’ offthewall.tv digital network depicting action sports, music, art and youth culture.
The agreement will see IMG develop and enhance the int'l distribution of all Vans content globally across all media platforms, bringing top level action sports events to fans. Among the events are the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, beginning Thursday in Haleiwa, Hawaii, which concludes the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour at the North Shore Billabong Pipe Masters event. Other events include the Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships, the Vans Downtown Showdown and the Pro-tec Pool Party. IMG will also work with Vans’ slate of action sports features developed for the offthewall.tv digital network including the Vans Surf Team film Get-N Classic and Pass the Bucket (IMG).

German public broadcaster ARD "attracted more than 10 million viewers to its broadcast of Wednesday's int'l friendly between Germany and the Netherlands," according to Sidney Schering of QUOTENMETER. A total of 10.18 million watched the 0-0 draw between the arch rivals. The game, which started at 8:35pm CET, had a market share of 31.7%. In the target demographic 14-49, ARD obtained a 27.1% market share as 3.54 million viewers tuned in to its broadcast (QUOTENMETER, 11/15).

SPAIN: ECOTEUVE reported that La 1's broadcast of Spain's 5-1 victory at Panama was viewed by 3.3 million people for a 17.9% share. The "golden minute" occurred at 10:53pm when 4.48 million viewers were tuned in for a 21.1% share (ECOTEUVE, 11/15).

FRANCE: PUBLIC reported that TF1's broadcast of France's 2-1 away victory against Italy was watched by more than 6 million people for a 23.4% market share (PUBLIC, 11/15).

Sky Sports Managing Dir Barney Francis "wants to introduce 3D to F1 and will have talks" with F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone at the end of the season, according to Kevin Eason of the LONDON TIMES. If the proposal receives the OK, it "could be just the start." Sky's ambitions "could go as far as providing the television coverage of F1, not only for its own subscribers but for the rest of the world, taking over from Ecclestone’s television organisation," which transmits the pictures seen around the world. Francis said, "Would we take it on and do it? We would challenge ourselves to do any sports production. We are well tuned, we have good individuals at the top and farther down the chain. It is a hypothetical question and would need FOM (Formula One Management, Ecclestone’s F1 business) to suggest they don’t want to do it any longer." F1 in 3D "is a no-brainer for Francis and Sky, but Ecclestone’s television company does not have the facilities," as it just started broadcasting in high definition last season. Francis: "We would love to do it -- 3D would look sensational for Formula One,” Francis said. “It will be on the agenda for the conversation we have at the end of the season with FOM." However, more than a year ago, Francis "caused uproar by moving to win the rights for Sky Sports to broadcast all 20 grand prix of this season live." The "howls of anguish came from living rooms around Britain" when fans discovered that the only full F1 coverage would be on subscription TV for the first time. Now the "outrage has subsided to be replaced with acceptance." Francis said, "We know two things: demographically, it is a younger set on Sky than the BBC. We also know that in households where viewers have a choice -- Sky and the BBC -- and we are simulcasting, we are getting 58% of that audience" (LONDON TIMES, 11/15).

Recently established cable-TV operator Cable Thai Holding "won the broadcast rights" for EPL games for the next three seasons '13-16, according to the BANGKOK POST. CTH major shareholder Wichai Thongtang said that the company won the rights for not only Thailand, but also Cambodia and Laos, "but he declined to reveal how much it cost" (BANGKOK POST, 11/15). ... South Korean broadcaster JTBC will televise the World Baseball Classic's two remaining qualifying rounds, which began Thursday. JTBC will broadcast the final game of the two qualifying groups live at 3pm local time on Sunday for the Asia region and 10am Tuesday for the Latin American region. All other qualifiers "will be recorded and aired" between Friday and Tuesday from 1am (KOREA JOONGANG DAILY, 11/15).